Carrier Oil Information

March 1, 2005

Almond Oil (Sweet) Prunus amygdalus, P. dulcis

Sweet almond oil is obtained from the nut of the tree, which is native to Asia and the Mediterranean. This oil is a favorite carrier oil for essential oil aromatherapy blends, although it's often used by itself for moisturizing skin. The oil has no scent and is a great nutrient for softening and conditioning the skin. It's been known to be especially suitable for eczema, itchy, dry and inflamed skin. It's very lubricating but not very penetrating. Since it contains glucosides, vitamins and minerals, it makes a fabulous massage oil. It's widely used in lotions, lotion bars, balms and soap. Sweet almond oil saponifies easily and produces a mild soap with very good lather. This oil can be used as a large percentage of the fats or as an oil added at trace. It's recommended that you add just one ounce per pound of fats to the soap batch. It goes rancid quickly. Should be stored in a cool place or refrigerated. SAP value: 192.5.

Apricot Kernal Oil Armeniaca vulgaris, Prunis armeniaca

Apricot Kernel is a light but rich oil which is especially good for sensitive skin, as well as for and skin that is inflamed or dry. It can be used alone or in massage and is used quite often in lip balms and creams. It is particularly helpful for dehydrated, delicate, mature or sensitive skin. It has a high vitamin A content. For soapmaking, one should use one or two ounces for every pound of fat. It is normally used at 15%-50% strength, although it may be used full strength. SAP value: 190.0.

Avocado Oil Persea americana, Persea gratissima

Avocado oil nourishes and restores dry, dehydrated, and mature skin. It is a rich, heavy oil that is best blended with other carrier oils. Skin problems, especially eczema and psoriasis, respond to its high content of vitamins A and E. Avocado oil is added to carrier oils, in a 10%-20% dilution, as an aid to skin moisturizing. This is a highly therapeutic oil which is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, vitamins D and E, protein, pantothenic acid, and fatty acids. May be used as a massage oil at approximately 10% dilution. It's a nice oil to use in soap because it has a high percentage of unsaponifiables. Should be kept in a cool place or refrigerated; has an excellent shelf life. SAP value: 187.5.

Emu Oil Dromiceius novaehol-landiae

Imported directly from Australia. An emu (Dromiceius novaehol-landiae) is a flightless, grey-feathered ratite bird of Australia, closely related to the ostrich. The oil comes from a thick pad of fat on the back of the bird that was initially provided by nature to protect the animal from the extremetemperatures of its Australian homeland. For centuries, the aborigines ofAustralia have been applying Emu oil to their wounds with excellent results. Today, more and more Emu oil is being added to products worldwide to increase their effectiveness. It is found in muscle pain relievers, skin care products, and natural soaps.

Some of its knownproperties are: Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, skin regenerative, high in oleic acid (oleic acid has better skin-penetrating qualities than vegetable oils), moisturizing, doesn't clog pores, penetrates through several layers of skin

Some of its uses are:

* Assists with the healing of bed sores. * When applied to a new cut, scrape or burn, assists with prevention of scars. * Provides sunburn relief. * Massage on muscle aches and strains. * Very helpful for arthritis pain and inflammation. * Provides canker sore relief. * Useful for diaper and heat rash. * Massage on children who have "growing pains" in their extremities. * Assists with prevention of stretch marks; once stretch marks are present, assists with eliminating accompanying dryness and itchiness. Makes tight skin more supple. * Good skin lubricant; also useful in sexual applications. Many people use so-called "baby oil" for their babies, for their skin care, and for sexual lubrication. Are you aware that the main ingredient in "baby oil" is mineral oil which is derived from petroleum? You won't find anything natural in petroleum. Yet, this is what thousands of people are using on their babies and on their private parts. Is it any wonder that every day more cancers and unusual diseases are being found in infants, children and adults?

Emu oil, when first applied to the skin, is greasy; however, within 5-10 minutes one notices that the oil is slowly being absorbed by the skin leaving a great feeling of overall smoothness on the skin. You can use it straight or you can add essential oils of your choice. The bottle of Emu oil should be shaken ever so lightly to mix the contents prior to each use.

Attention Soapmakers:

Emu oil is a great addition to cold processed soap. It is moisturizing and adds hardness along with good lathering. Fatty Acid Composition: Oleic 45-50%, Palmitic 22-25%, Stearic 8-10%, Linoleic 6-10%, Free Fatty Acids less than 6%, Iodine Value 50-80. SAP Value: 175-200.

Evening Primrose Oil Oenothera biennis

This is a pale yellow oil with a pleasant, light and nutty taste. Extremely helpful in treating menstrual and pre-menstrual problems, eczema and psoriasis. It's useful in treating allergic skin problems; add up to 10% of the carrier oil for massage and to any creams and lotions. Its healing action results from its high content of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that is vital to cell and body functions and not produced by the body itself. It goes rancid quickly and should be stored in a cool place or refrigerated. In soapmaking, a little goes a long way; add 1-2/3 tablespoons per 5 lbs. of soap just before adding the essential oils. SAP value: 191.0.

Grapeseed Oil Vitis vinifera

Grapeseed Oil is an ecologically sound product that is made from the seeds of grapes after the wine is pressed. Grapeseed oil is high in vitamin E and is 76% essential fatty acid, linoleic acid (also known as Omega 6). It is low in saturated fat, contains natural chlorophyll and valuable antioxidants (known as proanthocyninidins), and has a good shelf life. Very rich in vitamins, minerals and linoleic acid. It's a light and penetrating oil for massage. It's also used in lotions, balms, creams, and soap. The skin absorbs it easily; it has no perceptible odor. Since it is slightly astringent, it tightens and tones the skin. Will not aggravate acne. This is one oil that is nearly impossible to extract through cold pressure due to its very low oil yield.

Hazelnut Oil Corylus avellana

Hazelnuts yield a pale amber oil with a pleasant aroma. Its composition is similar to almond oil for which it's often substituted. This is the only fixed nut oil with an astringent quality, making it beneficial for use on oily skin. It absorbs quickly and is useful as a base for oily or acne-prone skins. It may be useful against thread veins and has been used internally in cases of urinary stones, kidney colic and tapeworms. May be used full strength or in 10%-15% dilution. This oils is relatively new for soapmaking. Only two fatty acids account for 90% of its fatty-acid content and both of these are unsaturated. With nearly 80% oleic acid and 10% linoleic acid, hazelnut oil is one of the most highly unsaturated vegetable oils. When incorporating hazelnut oil into your soapmaking recipe, be sure to include more saturated fats and oils in the formula for more normal tracing times. With only 7% saturated fatty acids, hazelnut oil is slow to saponify. SAP value: 195.0.

Jojoba Simmondsia chinensis

Jojoba is very similar in composition to human natural skin oils. It penetrates the skin rapidly to nourish it; also softens and moisturizes mature and dry skin. Jojoba helps to heal inflamed skin conditions such as psoriasis or any form of dermatitis, helps control acne and oily scalps. Since it has antioxidant properties, it can keep other oils from going rancid.

We offer you 100% pure jojoba, the extract of seeds produced by the jojoba plant which is expeller pressed, once. No solvents are used during this process. Jojoba is sometimes called "jojoba oil" when it is actually an extract; it's not an oil at all but a liquid wax ester. Our pure jojoba is pasteurized and then filtered to prevent bacteria growth. Jojoba can be decolored and deodorized; ours is neither. Our pure jojoba is a beautiful golden amber with its own aroma, which will vary slightly from one crop year to the next and does not contain fillers, stabilizers, enhancers or preservatives. It does contain the seed's anti-oxidants, is non-allergenic and won't stain linens or clothing. It is highly concentrated, don't apply it like a lotion. Put a small drop on the back of your hand and massage it in until you learn how much works for you. It's gentle enough for newborn babies; soothes and restores elasticity to any dry skin area. It's very good in cases of psoriasis, for massage and aromatherapy, scalp and hair care, and for hands and cuticles. For shaving legs and faces, just moisten the skin and massage a generous amount of our pure jojoba deeply into the area to be shaved, then rinse your razor with hot water. May be used full strength or in 10% dilution. SAP value: 97.5.

Kukui Nut Oil Aleurites moluccana

Kukui nut oil, brought to Hawaii by early Polynesian settlers, is quickly absorbed into the skin. Kukui nut oil is high in linoleic and linolenic essential fatty acids. Excellent for skin conditioning after sun exposure, as well as for acne, eczema, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, dry/wrinkled skin and offers good protection for outdoor sports. It offers just the right amount of lubrication without leaving a greasy feeling. Excellent for chapped skin and may prevent scarring. Use in a 10%-15% dilution. For soapmaking, even 1-2/3 tablespoons added to 5 lbs. of soap just before incorporating the essential oils adds richness to the soap. A higher percentage, 10-20% of the total fats and oils, makes an outstanding soap. SAP value: 190.0.

Rosehip Seed Oil Rosa mosqueta, rubignosa, rubirosa, canina

Rosa mosqueta grows wild in the southern Andes (Chile) as well as other parts of the world. The amber seeds inside the hips contain an oil high in essential fatty acids, GLA, and vitamin C. The cold-pressed oil contains between 30% and 40% gamma linoleic acid (GLA) which has valuable uses in treating skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. Can be used as a carrier oil with very small amounts of essential oils added, as a massage oil, or added to other vegetable/nut oils as part of a blend. This oil reduces scarring, heals burns, and softens scars and keloids. It can help diminish broken capillaries, but may also aggravate acne or blemished skin. The application of rosa mosqueta oil produced rapid healing of the inflammation, darkening and dermatitis caused by radiation. This is the best antiaging oil to us. However, it may turn rancid quickly and should be stored in a cool place or refrigerated. SAP value: 193.0.

Wheat Germ Oil Triticum spp.

This oil is thick, sticky and antioxidant. It's also very rich in vitamin E, a natural antioxidant. Based on this, it can be added to other carrier oils to act as a preservative. Wheat germ oil can be used to nourish dry or cracked skin and soothes skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis; also helps to prevent and reduce scarring and may prevent stretch marks. Mature skin, in particular, will benefit from wheat germ oil. It's also known to be beneficial for tired muscles, making a good base for after sport massage. Some people use it as a preservative in vegetable oils, soaps and toiletries, and others totally disagree as to its preservative powers. People allergic to wheat flour may have reactions to wheat germ oil. Refrigeration's recommended. SAP value: 185.0.

Source: http://www.oneplanetnatural.com/stores/oneplanet/carrieroils.htm

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